Pontifex University

MTS program: Introduction to Systematic Theology

3 credit hours

Course originally designed and taught by Dr. Arielle Harms

Currently taught by Dr. Cynthia Toolin-Wilson, S.T.L., Professor 

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course is an introduction to Systematic Theology.  Examining the very nature of the Christian faith, this course seeks to help students understand the sources, content, and method proper to theological inquiry in the Catholic tradition.  To facilitate understanding, the method will be contrasted with modern and contemporary attempts at theological reasoning.  The course will conclude with a look at the doctrinal development of the Theology of the Incarnation in the early centuries of the Church as a way to examine the use of the method. 

 

TEXT AND REQUIRED MATERIALS

 

Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae.  May be found online.

 

Bacon, Francis. New Atlantis and The Great Instauration. Jerry Weinberger, Editor. Arlington Heights, IL, 1989.  The Great Instauration  - the reading assignment for this class – is also available online as a free PDF. 

 

Benedict XVI, “Faith, Reason and the University” Lecture at Regensburg, September 12, 2006.  PDF

 

Yves Congar. The Meaning of Tradition. San Francisco: CA: Ignatius Press, 2004.

 

Descartes, Rene. Discourse on Method. Newburyport, MA: Focus Publishing, 2007.  Also available as free PDF online.

 

Avery Cardinal Dulles, SJ. Magisterium: Teacher and Guardian of the Faith. Naples, FL: Sapientia Press, 2007.

 

Kant, Immauel.  Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1997.  Also available as free PDF online.

 

John Henry Cardinal Newman. An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine. Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press, 1989.

 

Norris, Richard A., Translator and Editor. The Christological Controversy. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1980.  Most, if not all, of the works used in this collection can be found online as PDFs, but the book is helpful. 

 

Ocariz, F., L. F. Mateo Seco, and J. A. Riestra.  The Mystery of Jesus Christ: A Christology and Soteriology Textbook.  Dublin: Four Courts Press, 2008.

 

Joseph Ratzinger. Introduction to Christianity. San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press, 2004.

 

Vatican II. Dei Verbum.  May be found online.

 

Various handouts as provided.

 

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

This course is offered asynchronously on our LMS, NEO.  To access the course and complete it successfully, you will need an internet capable device with sound and a current internet browser: either the current or the previous release of Chrome, Firefox and Safari, or Internet Explorer 11+ (for Windows 8 and previous versions), and Microsoft Edge (for Windows 10+) to run the LMS.  In addition, courses require the use of, a PDF viewer, word-processing software compatible with Microsoft Office suite and a current email address. For help with the NEO platform see the Help Center in the LMS, found by clicking on the “?” in the upper right hand corner after you have logged in.  For log in questions, registration questions, or problems with missing content or content malfunctions, contact the teaching assistant, Elizabeth Froula at [email protected]. 

 

COURSE-LEVEL STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

 

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to give an account of:

1.       Theology’s distinction as a science and its proper methods
2.       The fundamental sources of Catholic Theology
3.       The contemporary challenges to Catholic Theology as a science and its proper methods
4.       The development of doctrine in the area of the Incarnation.

GRADING CRITERIA

 

Class engagement 10%

Papers/Assignments 40%

Midterm Exam 20%

Final Exam 30%

 

COURSE EXPECTATIONS AND POLICIES

Students in this course are expected to read, discuss, and write about the course content that reflects the competency of graduate level theological studies.  Proper grammar and good writing style are expected, both in longer and shorter written assignments.

 

Any discovered instance of plagiarism will not be tolerated. All submitted work should be original.  Any direct quotes or paraphrasing of other authors should be cited properly, using in text citations for shorter assignments or Chicago Manual of Style for essays and papers.   The professor is happy to help you give proper credit for sources used.  If you have questions, please ask.  Penalties for violations may include grade reduction or course failure. 

 

 

DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENTS

 

•      Papers: will periodically gauge the student’s engagement with the overarching themes of the course. All essays require a strong introduction, appropriate thesis statement, well-supported argument and a solid conclusion.   Graduate level writing ability, expression, grammar and use of sources are expected.
•      There will be paper, due at the end of the course. The student will be asked to examine an area of systematic theology of their own choosing, applying the themes and ideas presented in this course, and write a 15-18 page paper. The final paper should aim at a quality such as to be publishable in an academic theology journal.   As such, invention, organization and style will be stressed. Topics can be expository and argumentative.  This paper should use 3 or more academic level articles as sources.   Paper topics with a proposed outline must be approved by the professor. Once you have an idea for the topic, submit the idea to the professor for approval before beginning work on the outline and the paper.  This essay topic may be proposed at any time. 
•      One “in-class” presentation. In the second half of the course, students will be responsible for presenting for 30 minutes on some of the assigned readings related to Christology.  Assignment of text and directions for the presentation will be given in the appropriate lesson. 
•      The midterm exam will gauge the student’s familiarity with the texts under consideration
•     The final exam will gauge the student’s overall understanding of the course material. The final exam will test both the student’s engagement with the course’s overarching themes and with the details of the course texts.  The final exam will be comprehensive. 

 

The course is offered asynchronously on our LMS, NEO.  To access the course and complete it successfully, you will need an internet capable device with sound and a current internet browser: either the current or the previous release of Chrome, Firefox and Safari, or Internet Explorer 11+ (for Windows 8 and previous versions), and Microsoft Edge (for Windows 10+) to run the LMS.  In addition, courses require the use of microphone and webcam, a PDF viewer, word-processing software compatible with Microsoft Office suite and a current email address. For help with the NEO platform see the Help Center in the LMS, found by clicking on the “?” in the upper right hand corner after you have logged in.  For log in questions, registration questions, or problems with missing content or content malfunctions, contact the teaching assistant, Elizabeth Froula at [email protected]

 

COURSE OUTLINE

 

Part One: Systematic Theology: Method and Sources

 

Lesson 1: Faith and Theology

Reading Assignment: Introduction to Christianity, 39-178.

 

Lesson 2: Sources: Scripture

Reading Assignment: Dei Verbum, Handout: Dei Filius,

 

Lesson 3: Sources: Tradition

Reading Assignment: Congar, The Meaning of Tradition

 

Lesson 4: The Magisterium

Reading Assignment: Dulles, Magisterium: Teacher and Guardian of the Faith 1-116

 

Lesson 5: The Development of Doctrine

Reading Assignment: Newman, An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine

 

Lesson 6: Creedal Faith

Reading Assignment: Handouts: Dominus Jesus, Pascendi Dominici Gregis

 

Lesson 7: Negation and Analogy

Reading Assignment: Summa theologiae, Prima Pars, questions 3, 12, 13.

 

Midterm

 

 

Part Two: Modern Difficulties in Systematic Theology

 

Lesson 8: Crisis of Modernity

Reading Assignment: Handouts: “Faith, Reason, and the University”, Schall “Modernity and the Three Waves of Dehellenization”

 

Lesson 9: Luther to Kant: Removing Metaphysics

Reading Assignment: Handout: “Luther on Reason: What Makes a Whore a Whore”; Kant “Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals”;

 

Lesson 10: Descartes and Bacon: Scientific Materialism and Relativism

Reading Assignment: Descartes, Discourse on Method; Bacon, The Great Instauration

 

Lesson 11: Rorty and Literary Culture

Reading Assignment: Handout: Rorty: “The Decline of Redemptive Truth And The Rise Of A Literary Culture”

 

 

Part Three: The Development of Doctrine in the Theology of the Incarnation

 

Lesson 12:  Jesus: The Person and the Office

Reading Assignment: Introduction to Christianity pages 193-227; The Mystery of Jesus Christ pages 50-89 (Chapter 2)

 

Lesson 13: True God and True Man

Reading Assignment: The Mystery of Jesus Christ pages 90-138; The Christological Controversy pages 33-60; 73-102; 113-160

 

Lesson 14: Jesus the Priest

Reading Assignment: Introduction to Christianity pages 228-242; The Mystery of Jesus Christ pages 139-198.

 

Lesson 15: Redemption

Reading Assignment: Introduction to Christianity pages 271-330; The Mystery of Jesus Christ, pages 199-253.

 

PROPRIETARY INTEREST POLICY

Faculty are permitted to refer to notable past work and achievements (including publications and educational activities not offered by Pontifex University, and even those offered for personal profit) in their published biography on the Pontifex website and course promotions. In the context of educational activities undertaken for Pontifex University, including videos, live or recorded, teachers, can recommend or bring to the attention such work for students (even if for personal profit, for example, books or podcasts) but only with approval by Pontifex University and when it is related to the teaching purpose of the class.  An instructor’s related work will be noted in the syllabus as appropriate.  Instructors may use their own materials as required in their courses and learning events as long as the materials are appropriate for the particular learning event.

 

Failure to comply with this policy will result in a warning or administration modification of course materials. Violations of this policy should be reported to the Provost.